Oasis of the Seas Review, Part 2
OK -- so we've boarded the Oasis of the Seas and got settled into our balcony stateroom -- now it's time to explore!
We started with a tour of some of the fancy staterooms, such as a Royal Loft Suite, Crown Loft Suite, Aqua Theater Suite, and Royal Family Suite. Then we viewed a Boardwalk View Stateroom with Balcony, a Central Park View Stateroom, and Family Interior Stateroom. I tell you, there is a room for every situation and budget -- if you have more than 2 children, you are not left out. If you are splurging on a special occasion, you can sail in high style. If you are part of a larger group, say 2 or 3 couples, there are spacious accommodations.
Next, we headed to the Royal Promenade. This is the heart of where the action is -- shops, bars and eateries, and guest services are all here. One flight down we found the nightclubs and comedy club, the ice theater, and the casino (OMG it is HUGE!).
Some people have asked about the Cupcake Cupboard, and it is a very cute place with a case that's like a "cupcake museum" in addition to the regular service case. Cupcakes are $2.50 apiece. We loved the Cafe Promenade, Sorrento's (for pizza), and the Champagne Bar, but our absolute favorite spot was the Rising Tide Bar.
This bar is basically a huge elevator, taking passengers from the Promenade on deck 5 to Central Park on deck 8. When the bar lifts off from its base, a lighted water fountain show takes over the space. As you rise up, you have a view of the Schooner Bar and photography area on deck 6, and a glimpse of the Boardwalk with the Aqua Theater in the distance. When you arive at deck 8, you are greeted with the sight of beautiful, elegant plantings and walkways, and the marvelous specialty restaurants.
I rode back down to the Promenade and then walked up to the Boardwalk -- another wildly "happening" neighborhood! The central piece is the Carousel, surrounded by fun stores and restaurants. Here you'll find a "Pets at Sea" shop where kids can customize their own stuffed animal, a candy store, an old-fashioned photo booth, Johnny Rockets, and the Seafood Shack. At the far back is the Aqua Theater, with it's deep diving pool and commanding video boards.
Next, it was up to the "Pool and Sport Zone" decks, where there are 4 swimming pools and I have no idea how many hot tubs! I don't know how they're going to keep the grown-ups out of the kids' water park. I especially loved the Solarium, the adults-only refuge and its Solarium Bistro for light, healthy menu choices.
It was fun to watch people trying out the Flowrider and the Zip Line -- I just couldn't see taking the time for it since we only had one full day, but given a week I would surely make it up there and check them out. For anyone who's always wanted to try a zipline but been a bit squeamish, this would be a good try-out -- it's not really very long and doesn't look too scary.
Next time -- I'll review the dining and the entertainment -- check back soon!